The Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA) has been sampling
motor oils in the USA for several years, having them analyzed and
publishing the results on their website (www.pqiamerica.org).
The organization recently tested Super XXX 10W30 and Liberty
Gold Plus SMO 10W-40 Motor Oil it purchased at convenience stores in
the Chicago market, and PQIA says the results were “shocking.”

The Super XXX 10W30, and Liberty Gold Plus SMO 10W-40 samples
tested have very serious deficiencies and it starts with the viscosity,
or thickness of the oil. The viscosity of these products is close to 75%
below where they should be to meet specifications. This means they are
much too thin to adequately prevent metal-to-metal contact of moving
parts and that results in excessive wear and premature engine failure.
And for those unfamiliar with what viscosity means, if you shake a
bottle of these products the sound you hear will speak volumes. That
because the product in the bottle will sound more like water than they
do oil. See
video.

Whereas the PQIA feels the extraordinarily low viscosities of these
brands alone is enough to warrant consumer alerts, other test data also
indicate use of these products can cause damage to car engines. The
silicon levels in each of these brands are also very high. Silicon is
typically associated with abrasive contamination when found in engine
oil. Further, both brands lack any meaningful level of additives
required by car manufacturers to protect engines from wear, sludge, and
rust.

In addition to what’s in the bottles, PQIA says the labels on the
bottles of these brands also provide evidence of their harmful nature.
The label on the back of the SuperXXX for example says, "It is designed
for use in older model automobiles requiring SB specifications and where
economy is a major consideration." But what it fails to say is that the
API Service Classification SB was designed for vehicles manufactured
between 1930 and 1963. Further, SB oils are deemed by the API to be
"obsolete" and the API says they "can cause equipment harm." Whereas the
sample of Liberty Gold shows it too lacks any meaning level of additives
to protect engines, its label provides no reference to any performance
specifications. Consumers are buying blind with this one.

PQIA cautions that it has observed these brands in convenience stores in
the Chicago market and in other mid-west cities and states.

According to Thomas Glenn, president of PQIA, “This is not the first
time we have found serious deficiencies with these two brands.” In fact,
Glenn says, “In addition to the very concerning issues with the products
PQIA’s recent tested, we found similarly serious deficiencies when we
first looked at these brands in 2011.” It’s clear from test results then
and now, that Super XXX 10W30 and Liberty Gold Plus SMO 10W-40
Motor Oils “should not be used in cars as they can cause serious
engine damage,” says Glenn.

These brands are not the only ones PQIA advises consumers to steer clear
of. In fact, PQIA published a story in December 2012 titled “Enough-is-Enough
-It’s time to get these bad Bottles off the Shelves.” The
focus of that article was bottles of oil bearing the Super
Star, Royal
Star, City
Star, and Royal
brand names. PQIA says these brands are frequently found in
Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio and they too can cause harm to car
engines due to their viscosities being significantly lower than needed
to protect engines.

Interestingly, PQIA says consumers in lower income urban areas should be
particularly aware of the dangers of these motor oils. This is because
PQIA finds that the chances of running into these brands increases
significantly when it visits convenience stores, corner stores, and
bodegas in these areas.

As an example, PQIA recently found obsolete and off-spec motor oils at
over 60% of the 18 convenience stores it visited in Dearborn and
Detroit. Sadly, Glenn says, “It appears that the producers and marketers
of these bad motor oils are preying on people in lower income
communities where purchasing decisions are often made on price.” These
unsuspecting consumers can ill afford to have their car engines damaged
because some unscrupulous manufacturers think no one cares. “Well they
are wrong, PQIA and others in our industry do care,” says Glenn, "and
PQIA will continue to test and report on these bad oils, make
authorities aware of them, and ask stores to remove them from the
shelves to protect the public."

Visit the Petroleum Quality Institute of America's website for details
on these and other brands of motor oils, both good and bad: www.pqiamerica.com

About PQIA: The Petroleum Quality Institute of America is an
independent research company whose mission is to serve the consumer of
lubricants by testing and reporting on the quality and integrity of
lubricants in the marketplace.